No. 4: Joe Mauer’s Number is retired-6/15/2019
I was able to attend this ceremony and the game after it, and though it rained a little bit, it was one of my proudest moments as a Twins fan. Less than a year after Mauer played his last game as a Twin, his number was retired by the Twins as a part of Joe Mauer day.
When Mauer gave his speech, there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience, including Mauer, who teared up while explaining what the Twins meant to him. To see one of the franchise’s all-time greats have his number hung in the stadium forever was truly iconic.
Here is the entire ceremony. But just watching the intro, done by the other M&M boy, will give you all the feels.
No. 3: Joe Mauer dives to tag out Gardner-5/17/2009
One of the key moments in Joe Mauer’s MVP season, Mauer fields the ball that was knocked down by pitcher Jose Mijares. He looks to throw to first but the runner is already there, so he holds on. Yankees center fielder Brett Gardner races for home plate with Mauer out of position.
Mauer races about forty feet and dives at Gardner, tagging him for the out. The single most athletic and greatest play Mauer made in his career, the tag saves the game for the Twins, keeping it tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth.
No. 2: Joe Mauer sweeps 2009 award season-11/23/2009
Joe Mauer won the 2009 MVP with a near unanimous 27 of 28 first place votes after already being named the American League starting catcher in the 2009 All-Star Game, the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award winner at catcher, and taking home the batting title.
Mauer led the league in batting average (.365), OBP (.444), slugging percentage (.587), OPS (1.031) and hit a career high 28 homers and 96 RBI despite missing a month of the season. Mauer deserved all of those awards, and that solidified him as the team’s franchise player.
No. 1: Joe Mauer comes out at catcher in his last game-9/30/2018
In his last MLB game before retiring, with the Twins up 1-0, Joe Mauer came into the game at catcher for the first time since 2013. He saluted the fans, and tearing up caught one pitch with a standing ovation behind him.
Mauer caught one pitch from Matt Belisle, walked to the mound, gave Belisle a hug, returned to the dugout, giving his teammates hugs before retiring in the offseason. The Twins won the game, sending Mauer off in the best way possible.
Mauer is a franchise icon beloved by most Twins fans and someone who is thought highly of across baseball. There are very few players who were better than him behind the plate or wearing a Twins uniform. Happy Birthday Joe!